Ideas of sustainability for people living in Ealinghttps://ealingsustainable.wordpress.com
A little change can change the world.Thu, 26 Mar 2015 15:04:19 +0000enhourly1http://wordpress.com/https://s2.wp.com/i/buttonw-com.pngIdeas of sustainability for people living in Ealinghttps://ealingsustainable.wordpress.com
We have a list of super movies for you to share and watchhttps://ealingsustainable.wordpress.com/2014/11/28/we-have-a-list-of-super-movies-for-you-to-share-and-watch/
https://ealingsustainable.wordpress.com/2014/11/28/we-have-a-list-of-super-movies-for-you-to-share-and-watch/#commentsFri, 28 Nov 2014 13:48:04 +0000http://ealingsustainable.wordpress.com/?p=644]]>Last night I invited some friends over and we watched together the End of the Line.

Despite knowing this movie quite well, I have still enjoyed it; the movie has sparked a renovated debate on sustainable fisheries amongst us and re-invigorated my enthusiasm for action.

As you might know, our Ealing Transition Town has purchased through the years several movies, most of which can really make the difference if you watch them with a friend or relatives.

You can borrow them for free or for a small donation, just get in touch withTrevor from the Ealing Transition town or ask me.

Circulating visual information, thinking about it and act where you can, is what I would recommend you to do if you want to help the planet and our species.

List of movies available from the Ealing Transition Town

Here is the list. They vary from farming, to fracking, over-population, power, etc.

]]>https://ealingsustainable.wordpress.com/2014/11/28/we-have-a-list-of-super-movies-for-you-to-share-and-watch/feed/0nicolettalandiHenna, a metaphor for the struggle in sustainable choiceshttps://ealingsustainable.wordpress.com/2014/09/29/henna-a-metaphor-for-the-struggle-in-sustainable-choices/
https://ealingsustainable.wordpress.com/2014/09/29/henna-a-metaphor-for-the-struggle-in-sustainable-choices/#commentsMon, 29 Sep 2014 12:57:40 +0000http://ealingsustainable.wordpress.com/?p=639]]>A couple of years ago I started dyeing my hair with chemical products. The idea of using chemicals on my hair quite upset me but I did not know what else to do.

I have heard about the henna option but it always scared me. Too messy, too long, uncertain result.
Well, I finally found the time to read about it, chosen a product and with the help of my wonderful husband, we had a go.

All the family was a bit anxious to see what tone of red or green I would have turned out,
but my normal brown instead appeared. It wasn’t scary after all and it wasn’t too messy either.

How great it would be if some hairdressers in Ealing were offering the service of dyeing the hair with the henna!
More people could have a go and possibly doing it at home after that.

Henna has many of the characteristics of sustainable products: it does not harm the planet or your body, it requires some time (mostly to get confident enough to experiment) and it is not a mainstream option.

The modification of consumption habits for me begins with “motivation“, (I realise that I need to seek an alternative) then it continues with “information” (I explore the alternatives) but it only happens when I have “time” on my hands (I enforce
the change in my life).

I increasing believe that more time in our day is what people like me need to embrace sustainable solutions:

we all want to make better choices for the planet and the future of our kids but as we don’t have much time instead, we keep rolling on with our lives, made of well-known fast mainstream options.

If you want to have a go at the henna, let me know :) perhaps I can save you some time.

]]>https://ealingsustainable.wordpress.com/2014/09/29/henna-a-metaphor-for-the-struggle-in-sustainable-choices/feed/0nicolettalandiThe biggest climate march everhttps://ealingsustainable.wordpress.com/2014/09/19/the-biggest-climate-march-ever/
https://ealingsustainable.wordpress.com/2014/09/19/the-biggest-climate-march-ever/#commentsFri, 19 Sep 2014 11:25:24 +0000http://ealingsustainable.wordpress.com/?p=635]]>I was surprised to find out that some of my friends still did not know about the march happening this Sunday.http://www.campaigncc.org/climatemarchlondon

You might think yourself won’t make a difference, but this is where we disagree.
When one thousand people go to a march nothing happens. When one million people decide to take action, something might happen.

This march is not happening just in London, see the hundred of events happening in New York City http://peoplesclimate.org/events/ as world leaders are gathered there to discuss the future of the planet.

So, pack up a picnic, take advantage of the warm temperature, invite your friends and family to change the plans you might already have and come to Temple tube station at 12.30.

I hope to see some of my friends there, or being unable to find them because of he huge crowd :)

]]>https://ealingsustainable.wordpress.com/2014/09/19/the-biggest-climate-march-ever/feed/0nicolettalandiCycling highway to East London, finallyhttps://ealingsustainable.wordpress.com/2014/09/17/cycling-highway-to-east-london-finally/
https://ealingsustainable.wordpress.com/2014/09/17/cycling-highway-to-east-london-finally/#commentsWed, 17 Sep 2014 19:53:28 +0000http://ealingsustainable.wordpress.com/?p=631]]>By the sound of it, we might be blessed with a super cycling highway connecting Acton to Tower Hill.
Here is the map of what it could become:https://consultations.tfl.gov.uk/cycling/eastwest/user_uploads/proposed-route-alignment.pdf

A consultation is open, I hope you will fill the survey with me (perhaps just the “overall proposals”), welcoming the project. Here is the link

]]>https://ealingsustainable.wordpress.com/2014/09/17/cycling-highway-to-east-london-finally/feed/0nicolettalandiA movie to watchhttps://ealingsustainable.wordpress.com/2014/09/14/a-movie-to-watch/
https://ealingsustainable.wordpress.com/2014/09/14/a-movie-to-watch/#commentsSun, 14 Sep 2014 22:02:20 +0000http://ealingsustainable.wordpress.com/?p=627]]>Tonight I went to watch a screening offered by the Ealing transition town.

As usual, it turned out to be a brilliant movie choice, this time about the issue of population growth and how to tackle it, starting from women’s education across the world: “Mother: caring for 7 billions”

Despite being very well known issues, I loved the movie and I would like to spread its knowledge in Ealing and beyond.

Here some ideas:

Ask your local library to buy Mother

Write at article or a blog posting about Mother

​Buy an Academic DVD of Mother and donate it to your local middle or high school.​

I will be writing to Northfields and Ealing library, tonight, anybody wants to join me?

]]>https://ealingsustainable.wordpress.com/2014/09/14/a-movie-to-watch/feed/0nicolettalandiComing back to lifehttps://ealingsustainable.wordpress.com/2014/09/14/coming-back-to-life/
https://ealingsustainable.wordpress.com/2014/09/14/coming-back-to-life/#commentsSun, 14 Sep 2014 15:26:29 +0000http://ealingsustainable.wordpress.com/?p=622]]>I finally work part-time, so perhaps I will take this blog back to life.

For now, here is a page with info that might help me to make more sport.

This is a crucial part to live a more sustainable life: more mindfulness, better food, and more sport in my life. I am quite lazy and find excuses for everything, but here some references and hopefully my friend Giusi will push me to action.

]]>https://ealingsustainable.wordpress.com/2014/09/14/coming-back-to-life/feed/0nicolettalandiLiving in a boathttps://ealingsustainable.wordpress.com/2013/05/05/living-in-a-boat/
https://ealingsustainable.wordpress.com/2013/05/05/living-in-a-boat/#commentsSun, 05 May 2013 20:19:35 +0000http://ealingsustainable.wordpress.com/?p=576]]>Today we went to the waterways festival at Little Venice in London. We visited the inside of an old commercial boat which was used to bring coal up and down the canals in the country.

The guide showed us how a family of four would have lived in a space that was half the size of our bathroom (and ours is a tiny bathroom). The children were amazed and so were we.

On the way back I was thinking: what a shame.

We finally live in a generation which is wealthy enough to live in large spaces, survive bugs, weather, avoid famine and rapes. However, we still manage to live in a world where horrendous conditions, rapes and famine still occur and kill.

On the top of that, we are also endlessly pursuing a route of environmental collisions against natural limits which we don’t want to acknowledge.

The boat was beautifully painted outside and inside, and so was the teapot, which was highly decorated and apparently a common sign of beauty amongst the boat holders.

If only our species could preserve its beauty but let go its dirt.

]]>https://ealingsustainable.wordpress.com/2013/05/05/living-in-a-boat/feed/0nicolettalandiIMG_1957IMG_1962Feeling the need of buying something?https://ealingsustainable.wordpress.com/2012/10/07/feeling-the-need-of-buying-something/
https://ealingsustainable.wordpress.com/2012/10/07/feeling-the-need-of-buying-something/#commentsSun, 07 Oct 2012 15:28:29 +0000http://ealingsustainable.wordpress.com/?p=569]]>A book? A laptop? A new phone? or do you need to buy a train ticket to go to Manchester for next Wednesday, or to park your car near Euston Station for a couple of days? Or do you need some help because you don’t have the time to do something?

If so, then wait! Instead of buying, this time, you could try renting, maybe from somebody that needs a little bit of cash, more than a big company, or you could try swapping for free.

]]>https://ealingsustainable.wordpress.com/2012/10/07/feeling-the-need-of-buying-something/feed/0nicolettalandiI wish I knew why our energy bills have gone down so much!https://ealingsustainable.wordpress.com/2012/10/04/i-wished-i-knew-why-our-energy-bills-have-gone-down-so-much/
https://ealingsustainable.wordpress.com/2012/10/04/i-wished-i-knew-why-our-energy-bills-have-gone-down-so-much/#commentsThu, 04 Oct 2012 12:54:53 +0000http://ealingsustainable.wordpress.com/?p=531]]>I just received our energy bill. I am so happy to see how much our consumption has gone down, but why? Could it really just be that we broke (and not replaced) our electric kettle, replacing it with a whistling kettle?

Here are our bills:

April 2011: £184
March 2012: £95

July 2011: £219
June 2012: £114

October 2011: £131
October 2012: £82

It looks impressive doesn’t it?
But I would feel better if I had a clue of what’s going on.

These are the changes occurred in the last 2 years in our household:

1) Turned off desktop computer which used to be in standby all the time.
2) Changed the nanny who was living with us. I have the feeling the previous one was using lots of hair stylish appliances, but I can’t say
3) Chucked our electric kettle. This way, we have had quite fewer tea cups at home because the whistling kettle takes much longer time to boil the water.
4) Changed kitchen bulbs (the ones in the ceiling and fitted under the kitchen units) with LED ones, chosen carefully by Dave
5) However, my son is now scared of the darkness, so we now leave a LED light on all night (this was not happening before)
6) Also we have recently installed an external garden light that turns on automatically at any wind blow…
7) Finally we also run even more washing machines, with my son having taken the new habit of changing his tops twice a day…
8) Maybe we also cut down our consumption of telly…

I have stopped using our energy meter at the moment, because I was busy with something else.
However, I begin to think that it would be nice to have some form of tracking to know what’s going on in our house. Appliance per appliance. But automatically without me making too much effort…

Knowing more would be encouraging I suppose, and also, I would know where is that I need to stick with new good habits and what is that I can let go…

]]>https://ealingsustainable.wordpress.com/2012/10/04/i-wished-i-knew-why-our-energy-bills-have-gone-down-so-much/feed/2nicolettalandiKettleBillsSmart Mobile Devices: for better or for worse?https://ealingsustainable.wordpress.com/2012/09/28/smart-mobile-devices-for-better-or-for-worse/
https://ealingsustainable.wordpress.com/2012/09/28/smart-mobile-devices-for-better-or-for-worse/#commentsFri, 28 Sep 2012 10:35:05 +0000http://ealingsustainable.wordpress.com/?p=522]]>If a smartphone and a tablet can do the job of 15 devices (digital cameras, camcorders, gaming consoles, GPS devices, etc), this might sound good for our planet. Less devices, less resources, less carbon emissions. But is this happening? Are we using less devices than 5-6 years ago?

This article is a report of the findings of an academic study* I just completed, seeking to find out whether smart mobile devices (SMDs) – such as smartphones, laptops and tablets, capable of performing several functionalities – have replaced a number of pre- existing dedicated digital devices, like cameras, GPS devices and gaming consoles.

The reason for this study lies in the fact that a contraction in the number of devices purchased and used could contribute to a reduction in carbon emissions generated during the production and usage phases of electronic gadgets.

The study was based on face-to-face interviews with twenty IT professionals working in London and explored their consumption habits since 2006 in relation to digital devices. An additional questionnaire was used to establish whether the total number of devices owned and used by the participants had effectively gone down over the five-year window.

The conclusions were that 35% of pre-existing dedicated devices having been replaced by smart mobile devices. This would suggest their great potential to reduce the total number of devices in people’s hands.

Palms, landline handsets, MP3 players, desktop computers and compact cameras were the devices most commonly replaced, for reasons of convenience, portability and ease of use, while gaming consoles, GPS dedicated devices and big cameras were in some cases still preferred because of their superior functionality.

However, despite the SMDs’ capability to replace a number of devices, only 25% of the participants were using in 2012 fewer devices compared to 2006, and, on average, the respondents had bought 14 new devices over the 5-year period of study.

To understand better the reasons behind such a proliferation in devices, the research focused in particular on the participants’ practices of consumption: SMDs have now become a daily habit, as has the use of Internet services (like blogs for social networking or photographs, music and media streaming, Google calendar and Google maps, etc.).

Devices paired with services have now created a new but very strong set of digital habits.

As a consequence, SMDs have become increasingly a personal object, no more shared with other householders. If before a participant could share his laptop with his partner, now he is increasingly feeling the need of buying a second computer for himself, together maybe with a tablet to share with his children and an e-Reader for commuting time.

Even the group of participants who bought or used more devices were attracted by the idea of less devices, but they often ended with a proliferation of devices or accessories: for instance a speaker in each room of the house, or a computer per each purpose (one as a media center, one as a repository, one as main computer, one as a server, and so on). Instead of an improvement in terms of carbon emissions, such a trend could lead to a process of re-materialization (i.e. the act of using more materials/resources to satisfy the same needs).

Also, old gadgets had been often given to friends and family members therefore extending their product life; however this process could increase the number of people becoming used to an high number of personal devices and related accessories, offsetting dematerialization even further (Figure 1).

Figure 1: Process of re-materialization

Conclusions

If the larger population follows the practices of this small group of early adopters, the risk is that multi-function devices might not lead to the expected material savings and related carbon emission reductions. This is because the purchase of digital gadgets can create new habits and new needs that, in turn, can generate further consumption.

When asked about carbon emissions related to devices, the participants showed in most of the cases a lack of awareness of the impact of digital consumption on the environment. Information alone is unlikely to change habits; nevertheless, more work seems still needed in this direction.

Some environmental groups have been working with devices’ manufacturers, to extend the producers’ responsibility beyond the factory gates (Extended Producer Responsibility, EPR). This strategy would encourage product-design changes and recycling initiatives that would increase the re- usability of digital components and the opportunity for material savings. If adopted, EPR would remove some of the infrastructural barriers, enabling consumers to replace components of a product rather than the whole device.

However, more could be done to bring the issue of unsustainable consumption to the attention of the public. In particular, policy makers should take the lead and approach unlimited consumption as an ethical issue, openly questioning how many items a family can use and quickly discard, in a similar way to that in which a child’s recommended maximum intake of junk food or TV is debated.

One way to approach the problem could be acting at the point of consumption. The enforcement of a label/icon applied to every electronic device (see Figure 2), illustrating the link between its manufacturing and carbon emissions, is one possibility.

This would be similar to what already occurs in the tobacco industry and in the chemical sector, where the need for labelling those elements that have “properties which are hazardous to human health and/or the environment” has already been accepted (see Figure 3).